Everything you need to know about yuzu: flavour, origins and a recipe
Introduction
Our planet has a lot to offer. Let’s look beyond the familiar and discover something special: the yuzu plant. The yuzu fruit, also known as the hardy lemon, has been cultivated for millennia in China, Japan and Korea, where its intense aromas delighted ruling dynasties. Yuzu pairs perfectly with our Guayusa tea, so we’ll share two recipe ideas at the end.
Contents
1. What does a yuzu fruit look like?
Visually, the yuzu fruit looks like a cross between a mandarin and a lemon. The Chinese fruit is yellow to light orange, about the size of a tennis ball and shaped like a mandarin. Yuzu skin is rougher than mandarin skin; it is grated for use in cooking, baking and desserts. The citrus fruit contains up to 40 seeds and slightly less juice than a lemon, which makes yuzu all the more valuable.
2. What does yuzu taste like?
Yuzu juice is now indispensable in Asian cuisine. Its sweet, tart, aromatic flavour is more pleasant and complex than lemon, with notes reminiscent of lime and mandarin.
After tasting the juice, we knew we wanted to bring GUYA and yuzu together. At the same time, we wanted to stay true to our values: organic and fair. So we set out to find the best yuzu juice—and found it.
3. Guayusa tea with yuzu juice: recipes
3.1. Easy to make, with no sugar
If you already have our original Guayusa teas at home, try a hot Guayusa tea with a splash of yuzu.
Simply make a cup of Guayusa as usual. We’ve linked our top 10 Guayusa recipes. Once it has infused for your preferred time, add a little yuzu juice. Don’t add too much—the flavour of yuzu is very intense.
3.2. Yuzu cold brew for summer
Another option is a Guayusa cold brew. Use the same amount of Guayusa tea as you would for a hot brew, but use cold tap water instead of boiling water. Put the jug or glass containing the tea and water in the fridge for 4 to 8 hours. Strain the leaves or use our stainless-steel tea strainer, then add a splash of yuzu. For a little sweetness, add a teaspoon of sugar or, better still, Panela.